g
to hurt us, and we haven't anything that robbers would want if they
should come along. Thieves would know better than to visit a desert
town, Aunt Maria."

Nevertheless, the woman's nervous terror found an echo in Tabitha's
heart, and instead of undressing, she exchanged her soiled dress for a
fresh one, removed her shoes, and climbed into bed with her clothes on.
For a long time she lay tossing on the unfamiliar couch, listening to
the night sounds without, and the hideous brays of the wandering burros;
but at last she fell into an uneasy slumber, and dreamed that she had
gone away to boarding school, but instead of having Carrie for a
playmate, her companions were two blazing shoes who kept offering her
molasses taffy out of her father's hat. She awoke with a start,
trembling in every limb, and frightened at her strange surroundings.
Then she remembered how she came to be there, and lay down again on her
pillow; but she could not sleep.

In the distance she heard the sound of a dog's insistent barking, and
was annoyed by the plaintive howls. She stopped her ears but could not
shut out the sound, and in desperation she sat up and looked out of the
window, wishing that morning would dawn.

The night was very dark, but the starlight seemed to break the heavy
blackness that hung like a pall over the landscape. Off toward the
horizon, in the direction of the dog's barking was a faint glimmer of
wavering light, and Tabitha watched it idly for a moment, wondering if
there were campers in that little hollow, too. Then the light grew
brighter and more flickering, the barking more frantic, and Tabitha
started up in terror.

"It's the hermit's house on fire! What can I do? Neither Tom nor Dad is
here to give the alarm, and town is so far away."

She flew out of bed and to the dresser where her father's pistol was
kept, lifted the ugly weapon from its case and mechanically cocked it.
Tom had taught her to use a rifle, but she had never been allowed to
handle a revolver, though she had watched him so often that she was
familiar with its mechanism, and had no thought of fear as she sped
fleetly out of the house, pausing only long enough to slip on her sticky
shoes.

Bang, bang, bang! went the gun in rapid succession; bang, bang, bang!
Six times the report rang sharply through the still night air,--the
signal of fire in this little desert town. Then tossing the empty pistol
aside, she ran down the road as fast as her feet